


A Rose in the Night

by aeonish



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Ficlet, Fix-It, Minisode: The Night of the Doctor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 05:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeonish/pseuds/aeonish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of his Eighth life, the Doctor receives an unexpected visitor. Night of the Doctor fix-it ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Rose in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> My reaction to a post on tumblr where someone said that Eight died twice and both times there was nobody around who loved him.
> 
> SCREW YOU, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

It must be done.

He screams at the Sisters get out. He doesn’t want anyone around for this.

“Charley, C’rizz, Lucie, Tamsin, Molly… friends, companions I’ve known… I salute you. And Cass… I apologize.”

He holds the goblet out in front of him, the metal glinting in the dim firelight. He’s all alone now, and it seems fitting. He came into this body with no one. It’s only right that he should leave it with no one as well.

“You’re not alone, Doctor,” a disembodied voice says.

He looks around, and in the corner he sees a glimmer of vortex energy. A shimmering figure blinks into view, face partially obscured by the shadows.

“Who’s there?” he demands. “I said GET OUT!”

She—for he can see now that it’s a woman— steps into the light. Her clothes are earth tones, torn and dirty. Beautiful pale skin, a mass of slightly curly blonde hair, and eyes that are glowing, swirling with vortex energy. What a sight to see before he dies. He thinks she might be a goddess and wonders if he’s hallucinating.

“Who are you?” he asks, his voice full of awe.

The light in her eyes slowly dims to a lovely shade of brown and she cocks her head, giving him a sad smile.

“Someone who loves you,” she says simply.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head, for that can’t be true.

“Why are you here?” he asks.

The goddess takes a few steps forward and touches her palm to his cheek.

“To give you the strength to do what must be done.” Her eyes flick to the goblet in his hands. “And so you will not be alone, My Doctor.” Her hand trails down his arm to hold one of his.

This was it then. The End of the Doctor.

He looks at her in her ethereal beauty and suddenly feels a warmth and strength that wasn’t there before. They lock eyes, and he nods, taking a deep breath.

“Physician, heal thyself,” he says.

Still holding her hand, he raises the goblet to his lips.


End file.
